Long Lost Child
by Mlollylucy
Summary: What happens if Aria was kidnapped by Noel Kahn a long time after high school? Aria and Ezra are living a perfect dream life with there 6 year old, Charlie but one day it is all blown apart. Crappy summery but a good story : Review please?
1. Chapter 1

**I'm not to sure about how people are going to react to this story, a lot of sad stuff is going to happen and a lot of people pass away but I promise that there will be a happy ending. I was also going to make the chapters hugely long but decided against that because they would take way to long to write and get to you all. So the first few chapters I have written the rest have yet to be written. I wrote these over 6 months ago so I'm not sure if I like it anymore but I hope you guys do and you keep reading it. **

I walked through the rain with my little girl Charlie splashing water onto my black heel boots. The wind was pulling my rainbow umbrella. A flash of lighting appeared in the sky, shortly after it disappearing the clouds boomed. Charlie looked up at me, her deep blue eyes darkening and screaming out fear! I pulled the small girl into my arms, wrapping my black trench coat around her as well. She nestled her head into the crook of my neck and sighed with contentment, feeling safe in my arms.

I dropped my small child off at Ezra's parents house and continued to walk to work. I was just around the corner from the New York Times Newspaper building when I had awful trouble with my umbrella, it pulled me back and turned inside out I could no longer hold on… I let the umbrella go and watched it as it floated of into the clouds like a plastic bag or kite. I had an off feeling about today… and it wasn't because of the rain, I absolutely loved this weather but I had felt nervous since the moment I woke up.

The rain had started to fall heavier and I was still watching my umbrella freely drift in the open space. I saw Ezra standing at the corner about 150 metres from me so I started running toward him. I could already see the boyish smile on the face that I would never get over.

A dark figure jumped from the inside of a white van and tackled me to the ground. The next thing I new I was rolling around in the back of the white van.

(Ezra Per)

I saw Aria fighting with her rainbow umbrella until letting it float of with the breeze. She finally turned around and spotted me, running to reach me. Before I new it she was being thrown into a white van and at that moment my legs couldn't carry me fast enough, I just had to make it to Aria! I ran onto the road as the van pulled away, letting go of my umbrella and chasing after the van continuously calling out her name. I knew his was dangerous so I waited around the corner as the van came to a stop. A boy I knew to be Noel pulled Aria out off the van and into the house. I ran up the street coming to the house and stopping out the front. I would have to wait until night-time when Noel was asleep to get Aria. I was preying to the all mighty God in heaven that she would be okay until I got there! I sat next to the house trying to keep completely out of sight from all windows doors and not to mention the street, there was a chance that he might go out and leave Aria alone and if that happened I would be in and out before you could take a breath.

(Aria PER)

I was dragged up two flighted of stairs and then pushed into the dusty yet spacious attic of the one and only Noel Kahn's house. He flicked the light on and pushed me against the wall. Or roof? When he turned around to close the trap door to the attic I noticed a massive –A written as a red capital letter. Fear washed through me, my knee's became weak this was the person that had put me through my own personal hell. I hadn't heard from –A in years. I was happily married with a six-year-old girl, I had my dream job and the best family anyone could ask for. But… but now I was stuck in an old attic with my worst nightmare. Ezra would come for me right? He knew that I had been dragged of the street right? He had been right there!

"Aria! How's life treating you?" Noel asked advancing toward me.

"Your –A? You made my life Hell!" I let the words slip from my mouth and he smirked.

"Dear Aria why must you be so naïve? Its about to get a whole lot worse sweetheart!" he chuckled but he had not the slightest bit of humour in his voice. And I knew that he hadn't brought me here to drink tea and talk about old times.

"Now you will co-operate or things could get a whole lot worse a whole lot faster." He winked and left through the now open trap door. I stayed in the corner and herd the ladder creek as he made his way to the bottom and then banged the trap door shut. When I was sure he was gone I searched through all my pockets to find my phone… then I searched again. I must have dropped it! Or Noel had it along with my bag, how was anyone going to know I was here? Okay so I was going to have to make it out of here on my own… and obviously the trap door was closed. How could I break through the roof? There were no windows so that was the only way.

(Ezra PER)

I had been waiting outside the house for hours and the sun was almost completely behind the earth and on its way to the other side. That was enough Noel wasn't inside the house I new that for a fact he was messing around with a ladder at the front of the house, the back door was my only option right now.

I raced around to the back of the house to find the door there was unlocked… genius right? I'm not a stalker so I was going to have to look around to find Aria. There was a loud bang cause by the front door that nearly cause me to have a heart attack, I threw myself over the couch and crouched behind it. Noel came stomping in swearing and holding his finger. I see that he has disposed of the black jumper with the red –A on it and the shirt he hopefully had underneath. I figured he would keep Aria in the basement right? I heard him march up two flights of stairs and that's when I became slightly more relaxed, but I sat tight not wanting to run into him on the way down. I listen to the squeal of something and the bang of another thing. For a moment that was all… I could hear squeals and panting and I would know that shriek anywhere. It was Aria's!

(Aria PER)

Noel came rushing into the room swearing with a small shiny knife in his hand. Fear washed over me… what were his intentions with this knife at this moment? He saunted over to me and pushed me up against the wall. He started making trails off kisses on my neck so I pushed him away. He brought the knife up to my cheek and my eyes grew wide watching as it easily cut through my pail skin. I shrieked in pain and my eye overflowed with tears.

"Did you learn you lesson?" I nodded and he slapped me across the face. I brought my hands up to my cheeks trying to stop the stinging sensation. I now knew that this would be a lot less painful if I just did what he asked. He lent in and put his lips softly on mine, I kissed him back in fear of another slap or cut. He open his mouth and his musky breath flooded into my mouth. His sausage like fingers where playing with the zip of my dress and finally pulling it down. He rubbed my thigh and I flinched involuntarily. He could fell it and pushed me harder into the wall. His mouth left mine to travel down to my neck ones again. I couldn't help it I let out a sob and the tear in my eyes fell like sorrowful raindrops. He took his hands off me and looked into my wet eyes. His blue ones deep with anger, I couldn't see him moving but he punch me in the stomach, I bent over into holding my hand to my stomach and before I knew it he had thrown me to the floor. I shrieked out in pain as my arm was the first thing to hit the floor, my body collapsing on top of it. I was fast on my feet racing toward him before he could reach the trap door I shouted "Please!" but he grabbed my wrists so hard that I new it would bruise.

"Don't make a lot of noise Aria. If anyone finds out you're here I will have to kill you!" he said in a patronising tone. He pushed me to the floor once again and left.

**(Ezra PER)**

I heard Noel march down the stairs so I held my breath. He walked straight past the couch I was crouched behind and walked straight out the back door into the pouring rain. This was my chance to go get Aria… I jumped out from behind the couch and bounded up two flights of stairs. I immediately found the tap door, I mean it wasn't exactly inconspicuous! There was a white ladder in the middle of the hallway that reached all the way up to the roof. Genius right? I hurriedly climbed the ladder and swung the trap door open, making a loud bang as it hit the inner side of the roof. I heard Aria speak, probably because she though it was Noel. I stuck my head through the small square hole into the dusty space above.

"Aria? Come here?" I whispered. Her head snapped up at the sound of my familiar voice, she rushed across the dusty space and into my arms. I pulled her down the ladder onto safe ground. Once my feet were firmly planted on the ground she buried her face into the crook of my neck and sobbed, a few seconds later she shrieked out in pain and grabbed her left arm. I looked around to see blood oozing from a deep gash that ran the length of her pale arm, my eye's focused behind Aria's arm. The only thing I could see was Noels stupid face with a smirk on it. Anger rushed through my body touching my fingertips and toes. I places Aria behind my body then looked back at Noel. He took a steep in my direction with a smirk still plastered on his face, his eyes locked with mine and mine with his. I did relies that he had plunged a knife into my chest until I felt the wetness of my blood soaking through my shirt. A grin spread across his face, he almost mad it to the stairs before Aria jumped out from behind me taking the dagger from my chest and calling out Noels name. he turned around to look at her with the same grin on his face but it quickly disappeared as she pulled the sharp blade across his throat.

I fell to the floor as my life played before my eyes. It was the best sensation, it felt like weight had been lifted of my shoulders and I was free to fly away like a feather in the wind. Some of the happiest moment of my life played… the first time I looked into Aria's huge Hazel eyes and the cheeky yet shy smile that touched her shinny pink lips, the day I asked her to marry me, the day she did become my wife and of course the day my baby girl was born. The faces of the people I loved played before my eyes, Aria, Charlottes, my parents and other family and friends but Aria's stood out the most. Her giggles and voice played in the background. There was nothing more peaceful than this moment and it was all mine! Then… everything went black, I was to far gone to ever be brought back.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I wrote this when my laptop had water damage so its been sitting in a book for the last 10 months :P **

**I'm still writing Struggle upon Struggle but working on both at once. The next chapter will involve Charlie and Ezra's parents and all of that. **

**Please review, make me feel a little better about putting this chapter up? And if you don't review I wont post this story anymore. **


	2. But that isn't reality is it

**Okay I know. I know I'm sooo late in putting this chapter up! I think its been like 2 months but I'm on holidays now so the next update of this story shouldn't be to far away, hopefully. After I put this chapter up I'm going to go and write one for struggle and update that and then maybe another for this story so you will probably get an update in the next week. I do want to finish struggle within the next 3 weeks since I'm on holidays and when I go back to school I'm going to be in year 10! I'm not sure if you guys are going to like this chapter but I'm hoping for the best! I apologise if you don't like it but I wanted to change it up a little and make this story different from all the other Ezria stories! Enjoy lovely's!**

**Answers to reviews (feel free to skip if your name isn't below)**

_**literaturefrenzy23**_**: I can't seem to decide whether that was a**

**good or bad 'woah'? But thank you for you review regardless**

**3**

_**Nabrenda12**_**: read this chapter and see! I'm sorry if you're disappointed by it… Thanks for your review lovely **

_**ae1st19**_**: defiantly more! :P **

_** .dreamers**__**: **_**Your right it is completely illogical that he didn't call the police… and since you pointed it out that's the first time I even thought about it, so there really isn't any reason other than if he did it may have ruined my plot. 2ndly I didn't mean to be rude, but I do want to finish my other story and I tend to write for the story that got the most reviews first. Also I have tried the whole this many reviews and update will come by whatever day for other stories but I never keep to it so I'm not going to make promises I can't keep by doing that. Thank you for the comment at the start of you review it was really sweet and made me smile and thanks for pointing out the thing about Ezra calling the police and my ways of asking for reviews. Xxx**

_**Long Lost Child, chapter 2:**_

**(Aria PER)**

I called out Noel's name, so he turned around to smirk at me but was met by a knife to the throat, the smirk quickly disappearing of his face as he choked on his own blood and finally lost his balance, rolling down the stairs. I rushed back to Ezra to find a pulse… there was nothing? I searched frantically through his pockets for a phone barley aware of the burn that came from my left arm. I called 911, giving all the details. Why hadn't he called before? Guess he can tell me when he is well again!

I crawled right up to Ezra and wrapped his lanky arms around my frame. I closed my eyes and continuously told myself it will all be okay

I would never be able to live without Ezra, I mean I love my little girl but Ezra was the reason I made it through every day. He was that one person that loved me unconditionally. It no longer mattered how much anything in my life meant to me I… I couldn't be happy without Ezra by my side holding my small hand in his larger one. I knew that think this way was self destructive and gruesome, not to mention selfish since I have a little girl waiting for me at home.

My trance was broken as the police rushed up the stairs… to find me wrapped in my dead husbands arms. As much as I don't want to admit it… my Ezra is gone.

One off the police officers managed to pull me out of Ezra's lifeless embrace and into his. I didn't want to let go off Ezra, it was like giving up! I struggled against the officers embrace for a moment kicking and screaming before falling into his arms to sob.

**(Officer Riley PER)**

My colleagues and I raced passed a dead body and up the stairs to find the girl that had called. I raced round the corn to find a little brunette girl wrapped in a deceased mans arms. I knew this woman to be Aria Montgomery, since I read her on front page news every morning! And the arms she was wrapped in were Ezra Fitz's my 13 year olds English teacher. I could tell that Ezra Fitz was gone… not only by Aria's sobs but also the cold, vacant look his body had.

I tried to pull Aria out of the lifeless arms but she clung to him screaming "I can't let go! I won't let go!" Over and over before collapsing into my arms and sobbing. I looked around me to find everyone frozen with tears in their eye's. They all stared at the girl my arms contained. I noticed a long deep cut that ran the length of Aria's arm.

"Get and ambulance here now! And put a sheet over him!" Aria continued to sob in my Arms. She pulled back as alone tear rolled down my cheeks.

She looked into my eyes sorrowfully and said;

" He's gone! He's never coming back! Never going to hold me or his daughter in his warm arms again! Its all my fault!" her tears continued to fall and her lips quivered. I had never realized they had a child… that was now fatherless.

"Aria where is you child?" I asked, letting my tears fall freely.

"She's with Ezra's parents… I need to call them!"

"You don't have to make that call! I will…" I whispered. She hugged me closer before whispering

"Please don't leave me?" putting her head back on my chest. I rubbed her back for a little while then one of my officers informed me that an ambulance had arrived. I carried her small, shaking body out into the pouring ran and under a tent the paramedics had set up. One of them pulled out a chair for her to sit on. She reached for my hand before I could leave.

"Don't leave?" she whispered as more tears rolled down her pale cheeks. I gave her a weak smile then sat down next to her.

They gave her stiches in the spot, which took an hour and a half because of the many deep gashes all over her body.

"Matt? Call Ezra Fitz's parents and inform them of the situation… tell them to stay with the child?" I said to an officer walking past, he left with a sharp nod.

**(Charlie PER)**

I was sitting at my grandparent's kitchen table doing my homework when the phone began to ring. Nanny asked me to pick it up because it was probably my mummy or dadda. I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked brightly.

"Is this the Fitz residents? The parents of Ezra Fitz?" a strange man asked in an upset tone.

"It is?" it was a question.

"Am I talking to Aria Montgomery's child?" he asked.

"Yes I'm Charlie, short for Charlotte, I'm 6." I babbled through to the man on the other line.

"Well Charlie can I speak to both of your grandparents?"

"Sure. Nanny Grandpa there's a man that wants to talk to both of you!" I called out loud enough for them to hear. They both came into the room and told me to go and finish my homework.

While I was sitting at the kitchen table struggling with my counting I heard nanny burst into tears. I didn't want to interrupt so I sat quietly. They both came into the kitchen "Charlie you are staying here tonight… go and put your PJ's on and hope into the guest bed?" my grandmother instructed. I sensed there was something wrong but didn't ask questions and did as I was told.

**(Aria PER)**

I had many stiches and I'm sure they would be hurting if my body was not completely numb.

"Can I take you home?" Officer Riley asked so I nodded in response, not feeling like I could vocalize a response. He led me to his patrol car and helped me into the back.

I watched the city lights pass by in a blur because of the never-ending stream of tears from my eyes. He let me out of his car and told me he would come back tomorrow and see how I was doing. I walked up the path and unlocked the front door. Making my way through the big dark empty house until I reached our… my bedroom. I went over to Ezra and my old closet and grabbed one of his dress shirts from the basket. After I pulled all my clothes of and had Ezra's old blue checkered shirt on I crawled into the middle of the big bed and through the white fluffy blanket Ezra and I would cuddle up under and watch a movie on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Hot tears crawled down my pale cheeks as crushing grief sat on my chest forcing my sobs out. I breathed the sweet scent of my Ezra off His favorite shirt. I couldn't help but think this was entirely my fault. Ezra and I had been to hell and back for one another and for it all to be over in less than 12 hours crushed me.

At that thought I buried my face deeper into the shirt and blanket, letting my feelings pour out to no body in particular, in salty tear drop form.

…..

The next morning I woke to the annoying sound of the doorbell. I tried to keep my saw puffy eyes closed for as long as possible but some pain in the butt rang it every so often.

I pushed the blankets off my flushed body and realized where I was… in the middle of a large empty bed. Tears over flowed my eyes as I made my way down the stairs to the front door…

My hand flinched away as I placed it on the cold metal door nob. The person on the other side rang the bell again so I pulled the door open to revel Officer Riley. The frown on his face depend when he saw the shirt I was wearing and my tear streaked face. I wiped the fresh tear of my face with the back of my hand and pulled the hem of the shirt down in uncomfortably.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine." I shrugged but couldn't contain my tears. They poured down my puffy cheeks. I felt ashamed to cry in front of a stranger… but did it matter anymore? One off the only people that meant something to me was now gone. Officer Riley pulled me into his strong, warm arms, much like Ezra's?

My sobs were interrupted by the phone; I pushed I away and tried wiping my tears away again.

"Do you want to come in?" I asked stepping aside, he nodded and walked past me.

"Hello?" I asked into the phone.

"Oh Aria!" Ezra's mother cried.

"I'm… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault!" I whispered.

"Oh sweet heart its was nobody's fault, but that horrible man! You couldn't have done anything my dear." She sobbed. If she was here right now her arms would be wrapped around me in comfort, I grasped that thought with all my heart.

"Where's Charlie? Is she okay? Does she know?" I worried about my little girl.

"She's fine, just eating a spot of breakfast… and no she doesn't know." Thank God!

"Could you bring her home when you're done? I need to talk to her… tell her." I asked.

"Sure we will be there in about an hour, is that okay?"

"That's fine. Thank you so much for last night" I sighed.

"No problem sweetheart. I'll see you in an hour?"

"Love you bye."

"Bye…" she far welled me sadly.

I turned back to the officer to find him reading my hard copy cover of The Wind In The Willows.

"You like to read?" he flipped through the pages absentmindedly.

"I love to read… that's one of my favorites, Ezra brought it for my 21st." another tear rolled down my puffy face.

"Would you like some coffee officer?" I asked as I mad my way over to the pot.

"Yes please, call me Sam?" he said getting of the leather couch.

"Okay Sam." I smiled at him as he took a seat at the breakfast bar.

"Tell me what Ezra was like?" he asked as I poured coffee into two cups then handed one to him. I took a seat next to him before answering;

"He was the most wonderful person you could ever meet!. My best friend, the person who supported me. He loved me with all his heart. It was complicated at first but we pulled through… together." I whimpered forgetting that I was actually talking to someone. I wiped my face again and took another sip of coffee.

"How did you meet him?" he asked curiously..

"In a college bar the day before school started… he was my English teacher and when my parents found out the kicked me out… so we moved here and started a family." I couldn't believe I was spilling to any one, let alone a police officer!

"Sorry my rambling. I need to go and get dressed Charlotte will be here soon. You can stay and meet her and Ezra's parents if you want?" I asked while putting my cup on the silver sink.

"Yes that would be perfect! There house was my next stop, I just have to grab some paper work from my car." I showed him to the front door and told him to let himself back in when he was ready.

I made my way back into the house to have a shower. Once I got out I dried my hair and through it into a loose bun at the back of my head. I pulled some black skinny jeans on and a flowing green top. I wanted nothing to seem out of the norm when Charlie got home.

How are you meant to tell your child that someone has killed their father and he is never coming back? To tell her that we would never go to the pool as a family again, that her mother would now be the one to teacher her how to ride her small pink bike and that her father would never again sit behind her on her small princess bed and braid her hair for school? She's a very smart six year old and it doesn't matter how I tell her she will understand… and be heart broken.

I made my way down stairs as the doorbell rang. Sam came up behind me as I pulled the door open sluggishly, Charlotte leaped into my arms before I could say a word. I just have to stay strong for her!

"I missed you Mamma!" she squealed, "where's daddy I made him some cookies? She asked looking around.

"Daddy's not here… go put you bag in your room and come to the kitchen?" she nodded freely then dropped out of my arms and raced up the stairs with her Barbie bag.

When we got to the kitchen Ezra's mother threw her arms around me.

"Thank you for staying with her last night, I really couldn't have handled her, I was a complete mess!" I said pulling back out of the embrace.

"When are you going to tell her?" I shrugged and shook my head.

"This afternoon I guess… I- I can't keep this from her… um this is Sam Riley the officer from last night." I said gesturing to him.

"I'm Sam." He said and stuck out his hand for them to shake, "I just wanted to give you both my condolences, I'm very sorry for your loss." He smiled sadly handing Jenny a card. I raised my eyebrows at him as if to ask 'paperwork?' he just shrugged and turned his attention back to my parents in law.

"ARIA WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM?" Jenny yelled quietly so Charlie couldn't hear, she took my left arm into her hands to examine it.

"Its… its no big deal… just a cut." I tried to play it off.

"Oh sweet heart did that man do this to you?" Tom asked touching my cheek. I nodded in response just before Charlie came racing in and hugged my legs.

"Have you had some breaky?" I asked rubbing her hair.

"Yep nanny made pancakes and grandpa squeezed oranges for juice! Who's that?" she said the first sentence excitedly then eyed Sam.

"That's great sweet heart. Do you want to go to the park later?" I tried avoiding her question.

"YAY! Lets go to the park! But who's him?" she asked not thinking long enough to construct her sentence properly.

"That just my friend Mr. Riley. Now go put your shoes on?" she unwrapped her arms from around my legs the skipped of to put her sandals on. I knew that this would be the last time for a very long time, that I would have my happy little girl with me.

I thanked everyone as they left, then took Charlie's small hand into my own and lock the front door of the house. We walked t the park hand in hand as she told me what had happened the day before at school.

I pushed her on the swings, really high just like she liked it. We played in the sand pit but found cat poop so we went and played in the dry leaves. It reminded me to much of Ezra, the weekend before he had dragged Charlie an I out here to have a picnic and play in the leaves. I got some really lovely photos of us… together… as a family.

A tear came to my eye as I stop frolicking in the leaves.

"What's wrong?" Charlie noticed my sadness, "What's wrong Mamma?" she asked again when I didn't respond.

"There… there is something I have to tell you…" I felt guilty because of my frolicking when Ezra could no longer feel this way or physically do this… and it was all my fault!

"Then tell me?" she questioned with her hands on her hips.

"This isn't the place lets go home and then I'll explain?"

"Okay!" she chirped and took my hand.

We had finally made it to our street when Charlie noticed a bunch of birds, she looked up at me for permission to chase them. I gave her a stiff nod. She dropped my hand and ran after the birds. I watched as she freely chased after the birds, her curly hair bouncing around playfully, with her arms out imitating birds wings. When all the bird had taken to the sky in terror she came racing back to me and took my hand, her face slightly flushed and her breathing heavy.

When we got home I kicked my shoes off and took hers off gently. I left her sitting on the couch tell her I would be right back. I grabbed the white fluffy blanket off my bed and took it back down stairs to find Charlie frozen in the position I left her in. I took a seat next to her on the couch letting her crawl into my lap; I threw the blanket over us, then began to think out loud.

"Oh gosh… where do I start?" I felt Charlie's big blue eyes on my face but I continued looking forward.

"Start with you name, age and favorite colour!" she said counting to three on her small fingers. I knit my eyebrows together and gazed into her inquisitive blue eyes.

"That's what they told us to do at school." She shrugged her small shoulders.

"Oh right…" I took a shaky breath as tears sprung to my eye's, "this-this isn't like that. You know how I um I didn't come and pick you up last night?" I whispered, wiping a tear off my face.

"Yeah nanny said you had to work late." She looked into my eyes and wiped a tear away that I missed. "What's wrong mamma? Why are you crying?"

"I wasn't working baby I was with the police." I said ignoring her question and getting back on track.

"Why? What did you do?" she asked her tears spilling over.

"No, nothing, Yesterday, after I dropped you off at your grandparents? I was walking to work… a very a bad man took me off the street and to his house, your daddy saw and chased after the bad man."

"Why did you go with him?" Charlie interrupted.

"I didn't want to baby but this man was bigger and stronger than I am. I had no choice! When daddy came to help me, the very, very bad man hurt daddy… sweet heart the doctors couldn't fix daddy." My face was wet with tear and I didn't even bother trying to wipe them away. Charlie stared at me with disbelief and fear written all over her young sweet face.

"You mean daddy died?" her lips began to quiver uncontrollably as I nodded.

Suddenly she pushed off my lap and bolted up the stairs. I let a few sobs escape my lips before following after her.

"Charlie can I come in?" I asked as I knocked on her bedroom door.

"Yes." Her small voice whispered. I walked past her bin and noticed a small box off cookies… I sighed as I slid into the bed next to her. She crawled into my lap once again and began to sob against my neck.

"Why Mamma? Why?" she whaled over and over again… but I had no answer. To anything… not to Charlotte's questions or my own!

My question's mostly consisted of the word 'why?' Why would someone do this to a happy family? Ezra and I were finally happy! My life couldn't have been better… 24 hours ago that is. I just hoped that this was all a bad dream and sometime soon I would wake up under the white fluffy blanket, on the double bed, with Ezra's warm, strong arms wrapped around my frame. But that's not reality. Is it?

Things were different now. Deep down I knew that Ezra was gone and never coming back, that my safe landing place had floated up into the clouds with silver lining to be with god in his final resting place. The one living thing I had left of Ezra was Charlotte, she is part off Ezra! She is half of him and right now that was the best I could do.

Okay so there was probably only one question but it covered a wide range. Wish I had a simple explanation to Charlie's question but the only way I could answer was; a jealous little boy tried to get between daddy and I but I wouldn't let him so he got made and now 8 years later the selfish man took away our happiness because if he couldn't have what he wanted and he if wasn't happy then nobody else could be!

Given Charlie is a bright child but hell even I was confused trying to explain it to myself! So all I could think of to say at this point is a very mean, selfish man took away our happiness!

I held her while she sobbed and clenched her favorite teddy to her chest.

I vividly remember making the bear. It was the day we told my parents about out long term relationship. They promised us that we would never see one another again and if we did they would turn Ezra into the police and that was a promise. Once Ezra had left I sat on my bed for the last time furiously knitting the black and white 'Trauma Teddy'. Charlie loved it not only because I made it but also it was the perfect size for her short arms.

After a little while laying with one another I asked her if you was hungry. With a nod from her, I carried her down to the kitchen. She sat up at the table with a tear streaked face so I handed her the box of tissues that sat on top of the microwave. I decided that I should make her favorite dinner, a little comfort; pumpkin soup! It took me a while but I finally had to bowls of orange, liquid velvet. I put them both on a tray with a few pieces of toast and took Charlie and the tray off food to my room. We sat together on my bed eating in silence. When we finally finished I out her into her fairy pajama's and we cuddled together under the white fluffy blanket again.

I cuddled her all night long getting hardly any sleep. A few times she woke up asking for me, I held her closer and whispered, "I'm here baby!"

The next morning I woke up with Charlie in my arms… but not for long! I gently but hastily pushed her away from me before jumping off the bed and racing to the bathroom. My stomach lurched and everything made its way up. I tried desperately to keep my hair out of the way but quickly gave up letting it fall freely. The only thing I was thinking is "CRAP!" I knew this feeling! It wasn't a tummy bug. It wasn't food poisoning; it was much bigger… there was only one period of time in my life that I had felt like this. One moment I felt fine the next I was bent over a toilet with the contents of my stomach painfully making their way up! Morning Sickness. I heard a small knock at the bathroom door, then Charlie crawled into my lap with her trauma teddy.

"Are you okay mummy?" she wiped a small tear away that had escaped my eye.

"I'm fine baby just feeling a little sick… I have to go to the store later today. Will you come with me?" I asked stroking her messy curls.

"Sure I don't want to stay here on my own…" I pulled her form closer and kissed her hair and whispered.

"I would never leave you!" I couldn't help but think my actions had caused her pain and her sadness.

"Would you like some breakfast?" with a slight nod I once again carried her to the kitchen.

"Toast?" she asked.

"Sure what do you want on it? Jam?" I pulled a bottle out off the fridge and showed her, she nodded with the smallest hint off a smile on her graceful face. I placed the toast in front of her at the table, one hand held her teddy and the other a square of toast she was munching on.

"Will you be okay here if I go get dressed?" I asked her with my hand on her small shoulder.

"I can come!" she said barley before I could finish what I was saying.

"But… you haven't finished your toast." I knit my eyebrows together. I guess she had no answer since she took another bite of her toast.

"Tell you what? I'll run up stairs and get dressed then I'll help you. Okay?" I compromised.

"O-okay…" she mumbled. I placed a kiss on top of her head as I walked past. I raced up the stairs to my bedroom taking the stairs two at a time.

I pulled some red skinny jeans on and a white singlet top and then one of Ezra's old Hollis jumpers. I walked out of the bedroom to find Charlie with her teddy. I took her small hand in mine, leading her to her princes bedroom.

"Can I pick?" I nodded down at her. She let my hand go before making her way over to her white chest off draws that had big plastic diamond handles on the draws.

She came back to me with a black flowing skirt, white and black stripped knee high socks and a black skivvy I didn't even know she had. Once she was all dress she slipped her feet into her black boots.

"Ready?" I asked wrapping a baby pick scarf around her neck to add some colour.

"Yes… can I take Ez?" she said showing me the trauma teddy. I didn't even know the teddy had a name and I knew exactly where the name had come from but put another 'Why' question to the back of my head for now.

"Sure. Come on!" I said taking her out the door.

It was only a few blocks so we walked together hand in hand, one of her left hand holding mine tightly and 'Ez' the teddy cupped in her right arm. When ever we would all walk together as a family, Ezra and I would each take one of Charlie 's hands swinging her off her feet, small squeals falling from her rosy lips.

When we walked into the chemist we were both hit by a wall off heat. I pulled Charlie 's pink beany off her head then went in search of some bandagers for my arm. As I walked past some pregnancy test I grab the first one my fingers touched not bothering to search for the best one since Charlie was holding my hand. I took my time when it came to picking bandages for my arm and various parts of my torso.

We paid for the few items and then crossed the street and entered the supper market for essentials; bread, milk and the newspaper. I was desperately trying to make things seem normal to for Charlie and myself in a way… hoping that soon I would wake up from this awful dream and Ezra would be there to wipe my tear streaked face! But that's not reality is it?

I grabbed the bread, milk and newspaper dragging Charlie along with me. Charlie 's hand still in mind I placed the items on the counting then grabbed my purse out to pay. The elderly lady passing the items through eyed me with sadness then looked down at Charlie.

"Thank you…" I said giving her the right change before grabbing the plastic bag full of groceries.

"There you go! Come on?" I put Lottie's hat back on and took her hand.

The winter snow had started to fall over the town collecting on the leaves and branches of trees, not to mention on the front laws off every home on the street.

To see children rolling balls of snow and throwing them at their friends or to see smaller children being lifted of the ground by their father's to place a carrot on a snow mans face as a nose, gave me a slight pang in the chest. Charlotte paid them no attention but I knew that this winter there would be no building a snow man… not if its not Ezra there to pick her up to put a carrot on its face. It didn't matter who helped her now… it would never be as special!

As soon as I opened the door Charlie ran straight up stairs to her room so I decided to give her a little space. I made myself some fresh coffee and sat down to read the newspaper I had just purchased.

_(HEAD LINE)_

Aria Montgomery- the front-page columnist for the New York Times was found by police in her husbands cold lifeless arms. Another man found dead at the property on youth road. Police haven't yet released all the details of the situation but it has been reported that this all started with a kidnapping. Police have also said that this tragic situation was cause by a grudge held for the past 8 years, coming from the small town of Rosewood.

This sad situation has a lot more information to be revealed…

**(Aria Per)**

Tears gathered in my eye's threatening to spill over onto my cold cheeks. I pulled I pulled the front page of the newspaper for along with it came the connecting back page, I ripped it up into hundreds of pieces then sprinkled it into the rubbish bin. I leant my back against the wooden bench as tears slide down my cheeks. I covered my eyes with the palms off my hands, I didn't even relies the media were there last night… I always used to think the media would do or say anything to get a story… but now I'm one off them.

I was broken out of my trance by the ringing home phone. I picked it up of the table in front of me and pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" My voice wavered.

"Aria?" My father in law asked. I frantically wiped the tears from my face as if someone was watching me.

"Yeah… its me…" I tried as hard as I could to keep my voice stable.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" he asked me lovingly, since we let Rosewood and my family behind, Tom had pretty much become a father to me.

"I… I'm fine I was just reading the paper…" I croaked.

"Oh… I'm sorry you're going through this! How's Charlotte doing?" his voice strained with sadness.

"She's in her room now but she wouldn't stay alone this morning and slept in my bed all last night. I don't know what I can do for her…" I whispered.

"Do you want to bring her over here for a few days?"

"No!" I answered a little to quickly, "I… I don't want to be left alone here." I explained myself.

"Listen honey the funeral in next week after the police… never mind… Could you get Charlie to write something to read?" he tried to cover up but let it go… I really couldn't handle it right now.

"Sure… I've got to go… I'll call you guys tomorrow? Okay?"

"Okay sweetheart. Take care, bye!"

"Bye…" I whispered then ended the call; at that moment my sobs filled the room.

_(Tom Fitz)_

"Bye…" Aria whispered before loud sobs filled my ear. I though she would hang up any second… but she didn't…

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked trying to take the phone.

"She hasn't hung up…" explain then continued listening intently.

"Who is she talking to?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure but she's crying…" I put the phone on loud speaker so we could both listen in. I felt as if I was invading her privacy by listen but I also felt as if she had something important to say.

"Ezra I… I think I'm pregnant… I promise you I will take care of this child I'm so sorry… this should be your life not mine!" her sobs exploded then once again settled down for her to talk.

"This is all my fault Ezra… Please watch over me? Come to visit some times? I love you forever and always." Her cries became louder and the talking stopped.

"She's pregnant?" Jenny asked.

"You heard her, she might be…" I hung our phone up.

"Tom she's taking this harder than we thought. What can we do for her? She wants Charlie around…" tears had formed in her eye's and brimmed over.

In the past couple years Aria had become much like a daughter to us. Her parents had given up on her when she was only 17 and fresh out off high school. I don't know why… she is a beautiful, mature young lady that any family should be happy to have around. We now knew about all the things they went through with each other, how could we be angry? Every time they looked at one another the sun got bright and the the stars sparkled that little bit more. The student teacher thing was a bit of an off but it was just bad timing and when you love someone that much you take the opportunity when it arises.

I remember the first time Ezra brought Aria home to meet us, she was extremely shy, not saying much and always seemed to be hiding behind the cover of Ezra's body. She looked genuinely frightened when Jenny asked for her help in the kitchen but with a reassuring kiss on the forehead and smile from Ezra she went with one glance back.

As the years have gone by she has come further out of her shell. She said she felt like she had so much to hide, almost ashamed of what had happened over the short span of her lifetime. She had become more comfortable in the family and told Jenny that she thought we wouldn't approve of her because of her past mistakes. Who was to blame her? If your parents disowned you, you'd probably think who would want you. I felt sorry for the poor girl she had pretty much hit rock bottom!

"What did you expect? She lost her soul mate less than 48 hours ago…" I took my wife into my arms. We were doing okay with this I guess… well better than Aria anyway.

"I just… I feel so helpless Tom! She's like a daughter to me!" Jenny sobbed into my shirt.

"I know, I know… if she is pregnant then she is going to need all the help she can get! She had awful trouble with Charlie even when Ezra was with her 24/7." I tried to comfort.

**(Aria PER)**

"I love you! Forever and always!" my words drifted off but my sobs didn't.

**Well there we go! Please don't hate me for getting rid of Ezra like that… but trust me this is still an Ezria story and he will come back in some form! I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes, I would have gotten it betaed but I went against it because I wanted to get the chapter up as fast as I could. Also I only read it over once because lets be fair is 14 pages filled with 6349 words! I really hope you enjoy it and if you have any ideas please share! I wont promise that I will include them because I have a pretty clear picture for this story but I'll do my best! I should have an update by next Friday but no promises. Please review **** hope you enjoyed it! I'm going to go write a chapter for struggle now. Byee. **

**Xxx Lucy :P **


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